Gloria looked down at her cup, watching as it darkened each time she bobbed the linen tea bag up and down. Her red hair glowed in the flicker of the fireplace.

The house was quiet, minus the chirping of the crickets and peepers outside of her cabin window. The dinner dishes sat in the sink unwashed, as she waiting for Tony to get out out of the shower. She could hear it running, imagining in her mind every step that he took as he washed his hair, his face, and then his body.

About ten minutes left.

Once she heard the clunk of the pipes as the water stopped, she drew in a breath. In less than an hour, her life would be completely different and she knew it. There is no magic spell that could summon that much courage within that period of time, but deep down all she really needed was some elbow room.

Tony walked heavily down the stairs. His body was tired and sore from the farm, just as it was every night. He looked at Gloria. She looked so beautiful next to the fire. She looked so peaceful.

He sat down in the recliner and kicked out the foot stool and breathed deeply.

“If you would like some tea, there is still some hot water in the kettle,” Gloria said still looking into her cup.

Tony shook his head, and although Gloria could not hear him, she knew the answer was no from the silence.

She sat the cup down on the table beside her. Her hands shook slightly, spilling a little of the tea. Ignoring it, she clasped her hands together and sat forward, resting her arms on her knees.

“Tony we need to talk,” she said looking up at him.

He looked over at her, eyes half shut.

“Mmm,” he said breathing deeply again. She knew he was tired, but she was tired too. There would be no evening that would be good for this, and she knew that she needed dig deep for the words that were about to come out of her mouth.

“Tony, I mean it. We need to talk.”

He opened his eyes and sat up a little straighter.

“Ok, so talk. I’m listening,” he said now at attention. The seriousness in Gloria’s tone was ill-setting. Normally passive and kind, her sternness jolted him.

“Tony, I know that we have been together for a long time. A long time. Twenty-two years. We have watched our babies be born and grow up and leave. We have moved from place to place and worked so many different jobs. We have lived a full, long life together. And I love you and love all of the memories that we have created together.” She paused and drew in a breath.

“But Tony, I can’t do this anymore. I need elbow room. I need to sit at my own table for awhile. I need to breathe and figure out who I am again. It isn’t that I don’t love you, I do. But I just need to figure out who I am again without you. Without the kids.” She stopped and looked at Tony, who just seemed to look lost.

He shook his head in disbelief. Twenty-two years. He couldn’t be hearing this correctly. She looked so beautiful sitting by the fire.

“No. No, you can’t be saying this,” he said, shaking his head. He got up from the chair and began pacing the room. “What do you mean, you need more elbow room? You can’t do this- find yourself- and still be married? You are going throw twenty-two years away just like that because you need to find yourself? You need space?” His tone quickly changed, anger ringing up through his voice.

He continued to pace. Gloria’s mind was racing. Am I wrong, she thought? Should I be doing this? How selfish am I?

“Well, if this is what you want…” Tony stopped, looking at her. She looked at him, not saying a word. Her mind buzzed, unclear. Every thought she has ever thought up to this moment hitting her at once.

“Huh.” He said looking at her. “So this is it, just like that.”

He turned and walked towards the door, gabbing his work coat off of the hook and reached the handle.

“This is it. Say you want me to stay and I will stay,” he looked at her pleadingly. Please, he thought. Just please.

Gloria sat in her chair. She just looked at him unable to speak. After moments of silence, she looked towards the fire, hearing the door handle turn, his wedding ring clinking on the brass.

As the door shut behind him, she drew in a deep breath. Tears welded in her eyes. Tears of sadness and relief.

She picked up her tea and leaned back. She closed her eyes and took a sip. Her mind was clear. Lucid. The buzzing stopped. The hardest part was now over.